Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1887-12-15

living caused BY sucn tariff, becomes g burden rae.
upon teose with moderate means ana .n9 pov ,,.;
YAH and ife Young and old and that It consti-
ttIres q tax which, with relentless GRASP. -
Fastened upon the clothing OF every Man'
woman and child in the land, reasons are sug-
frssted why the removal or reductfon U .u.s
duty. should be included in revision u our
tariff laws. a.. -.
Tn sneakinr of the increased cost to the con-
sinner OF our home manufactures, resuItlng
from duty laid upon Imported articles ~ , .nG
same description, the fact Is MOI pradncers
sometimes has the effect OF keeping Ine pIloU "a
their products below the highest limiI a.loM We;
by such duty But it is notorious that tnls
competition is TOO often strangled by com pima
tions. quite prevalent at TINS time, Inu ~
quently called trusts which nave aol ,,rica Of
commodities made and sold by members Oh tno
combination. The people can hardly nope Ioa
any consideration in the operation OF tnese
of such combinations, a healthy and Tree com
petition reduces the price OF any part a Ia
under our tariff laws, and if. with
such reduced prices It's nn1ent that
one thing has been discovered which shouio %
carefully serutinized In effort to reduce taxa
ton. The necessity OF combination to main am.
tain the price of any commodity to the tarin
point furnishes proof that some one is wiling
to accept lower prices for such COMMONLY ana
prices produced by competition prove the same
thing. Thus where either OF these condlIions
exist case would seem to be presented Ior
an easy reduction of taxation.
The considerations which have been present.
ed touching our tariff laws are intended only TO
enforce an earnest recommending that tne
growth Of the surplus revenues OF the Govern
ment be prevented by the reduction OF our Gus
toms duties. and at the same time, to emphasize
pose we may discharge a double duty to our
people hy granting to them measure OF relleI
from tariff taxation in quarters where it is most
needed and from sources where 1t can De most
fairly and justly accorded.
Nor can the prcsen tation made of such con-
siderations be. with any degree of fairness, re-
garded as evidence of unfriendliness toward our
manufacturing interests, or of any lack OF APP
probation of their value and Importance. These
stantial element of our National great
ness and furnish the proud proof OF
our country's progress. But If in the
emergency that presses upon US our manufact-
urers are asked to surrender something for the
public good and divert disaster, their patriot
ism, as well as a grateful recognition Of advan-
tages already afforded, should lead them to
willing cooperation. No demand is made that
they shall forego all the benefits. Of govern
monished of their duty, as we'll as their enlight
ened self-interest and safety, when they are re-
minded ofthe fact that financial panic and col
lapse, to which the present condition tends
Afforded no greater shelter or pro
lection to our manufactures than to
tun1ty for safe, careful and del1berate reform is
now offered; and none OF US should be unmind-
full of a time when an abused and irritated peo-
pie, needless of hose who have resisted timely
and reasonable relief, may insist upon radical
and sweeping rectification Of their wrongs.
The difficulty attending wise and fair re-
vision of our tariff laws is not underestimated.
It will require on the part of Congress great
labor and care. and especially broad and
National contemplation of the subject and
patriotic disregard of such local and selfish
claims as are unreasonable and reckless
of the welfare of the entire country Under our
present laws more than four thousand articles
are subject to duty Many OF these do not in
any way compete with our manufactures.
and many are hardly worth attention as sub
jects of revenue. considerable reduction can
be maderin the aggregate by adding them to the
free list. The taxation of luxuries presents no
features of hardship; but the necessares OF
life. used and consumed by all the people, the
duty upon which adds to the cost of living in
every home, should be greatly cheapened. The
raw material used in manufactures. it's free
importation, is OF course an Important factorin
saries Itwould not only relieve them from the
increased cost caused by the tariff on
such material, but the manufactured
product, being thus cheapened, that part of the
tariff now laid upon such product, as COM
pensation to our manufacturers for the present
price of raw material. could be accordingly
would serve besides to largely reduce the rev
enue. It is not apparent how such change can
On the contrary, it would appear to give them
better chance in foreign markets with the
manufactlrers of other countries, who cheaper
their wares by free material. Thus our people
sales beyond the limits of home
consumption, saving them from the depression,
interruption in business, and loss caused by
glutted domestic market. and affording their
employees more certain and steady labor, with
its resulting quiet and contentment.
The question thus imperatlveiy presented for
solution should be approached In spirit higher
than partisanship, and considered in the light
of that regard for patriotic duty which should
characteriZc action MT cd Will
the veal of confiding people. But the oblga-
ton to declared party rolicy and principle is
ton. Both of the great political parties now
represented in the Government have, by repeat
ed and authoritative declarations, condemned
the condition OF our laws which permit the col.
lection from the people of unnecessary revenue,
and have, in the most solemn manner, promised
it's correction and neither as citizens or parti.
the deliberate violation of these pledges
Our progress toward wise conclusion will
not be improved by dwelling upon the theories .
of protection and free trade. This savors too
much of bandying epithets It Is condition
which confronts us--not a theory. Relief from
this condition may involve a slight reduction of
the advantages which we award our home pro,
auctions, but the entire withdrawal of
such advantages should not be contemplat-
ed. The question of free trade is absolutely
irrelevant: and, the persistent claim made in
certain quarters that all efforts to relieve the
people from unjust and unnecessary taxation
are schemes of so-called free traders, is mis-
chievous and far removed from any considera
L
duty which we owe the people is to reduce
taxation to the necessary expenses of an
economical operation of the Government. and
to restore to the business of the country the
money which we hold in the treasury through
the perversion of governmental powers. ThHse
things can and should be done with safetyAto
all our industries, without danger TO the OPP
for remuneratiye labor which our
worlzingmen need, and with benefit to them and
all our people. by cheapening their means OF
subsistence and increasing the measure of
their comforts,
The Constitution provides that the President
shall from time to time, give to the Congress
information of the State of the Union. It has
been the custom of the Executive, in compli-
ance with this provision, to annually exhibit to
Congress- at the opening of its session, the
general condition Of the country and to detail
with some particularly. the operations of the |
agreeable to follow this course at |
the present time, and to call attention to the
anrng 1h last OF these
But I am SO much impressed with the |
paramount Importance of the subject to which |
his communication has thus far been devoted, /
hat I shall forego the addition of any other |
op1c, and only urge upon your immediate con i
the estate of the Union,'' shown
n the present condition of our Treasury and I
our general fiscal situation, upon which every I
element of our safety and prosperity depends. +
The reports OF the heads departments, which 1
will be submitted, contain full and explicit in
formation touching the transa tions OF the |
business 1ntrusted 10 them and such recon- I
nendations relating to!Iegisation in the public /
interest as they deem advisable. | ask for /
hese reports and recommendations the DELHI |
crate examination and action of the legislative
branch of the Government
There are other subjects not embraced in the
reports demanding legislative /
consideration and which I should be glad to /
submit, Some of them, however. have been
presented in previous messages, and
IS to them, beg leave to repeat prior recon.
nendations.
AS the law makes no provision for any report +
rom the Department Of State, a brief history
II the transactions of that irnportant deuart.
nent. together with other matters which it may Z